Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-11-06
.. YEN tho morninp--earlY."

Willie Willie Will ike the voyage
Their speech was Of safe common,
places-little details Of unemotiona
facts. but they spoke in slow, painfully
still tones. and Bridget's voice shooE
when her commonplace sentence was
long. Her face was white her lips had
set themselves in lines OF pain.
"Tbe sea air will be bracing-good
for Willie" she said.
ayes, that's true he agreed. "And
he wants setting up-he's been weakly
this winter" e.,
1.-THE winter has been so long" said
Bridget, "and cold, very cold. Little
cJhildren-little children feel it"
And there came another silence, Longer
than the last. Tho stock of common
places. the questions Of fact, were ex'
bausted. Bridget looked up and mel
Verity's glance, and did not look away
again. For nearly minute they stood
so. not speaking, looking drearily, hope
lesslv into one anothers eyes, telling
tbe truth to one another silently IN one
long. lingering glance. Speech was not
easy after that they could not go back
again to calm-voiced question and an
sWer and even tones. Bridget put ont
her hand again, and Verify took it II
both of his own and held 1t. / think he
fried To say Goodbye and could not
cav T. 1 think Bridget tried too, and
her voice failed her Their lips formed
the word silently they looked fora mo.
ment longer into one another's eyes, and
looked away. They had hidden farewell
to one another.
II was Bridget who moved first. She
drow away her hand slowly, and moved
eide To the table where her book lay
~.1,n She looked down blanly ut the
" = page and waited Verify left us
t.e,eD went quickly through the pas
~ For Q moment there was a sound
Of wind ,7ud rain heating IN, then the
stroet d,o, shut and the house was quiet.
Ver;tv's step went pass the window, and
Rr;dcot Wa. Mt a word, sat downat the
tohIo bSfore We, open book, as she had
Loon s;tt;ng oli n o evening. She rested
b borI forobead on re, hand, and she seemed
to lie reading. ~. an hour she Sal
there, never turning a page OF i mo q,
At last she raised her ',au' snut ~! u,
bool. slowly, and rose to Pu, IL ~ H. Il,
place. On the shelf whore oar D''>-
stood she had put some ioo52h 'p'lI' AZ.
the little obelisk that Verify ''' ',. , GU ,
rested as q weight upon them. l. 'No
had to move it. The shelf was Oa> uil'
nv chair; / could not see her as = IL
stood there. The room was quiet +,
Bridget stood very still. suddenly from
behind me came q herd, dry little sob,
and the room vas quiet again.
roso up quickly. Bridget. lcried'
bridget what IS il. "
She did not turn for n moment; then
her liz, were still trembling, bat she was
trvin- 10 smile ca~clessly. She crossed
the room. end was very busy and on
crossed with much tidying and roawang-
ing of many things. Then She came 70
the fire and knclt before II, holding ont
her hands TO the blnze TO impress me
with a sense Of her comfortable case OF
mind and body.
I knelt down beside her and put my
hand on her arm rather timidly.
Bridget" l said gently, Bridget, I
am sorry
"Souy?" said Bridget slowly, not
looking around. "Why are You sorry,
Alice
Il wish-I do wish you were happy
dear
Brieqct waited a moment then turned
and looked Up slowly at me. "Aes, l
am happy" Sc said. "Quite happy
in my own way, you know. People are
happy differently. Some wants much
never want much. Warmth have
that. Won sco-good fires, comiort-iuat
cats wants-and I'm happy. Some
people like more than that Some
people feel thincs-things hurt them.
Not me-they never hurt me. | forget
them. 1 forget them very soon. ITS
not what you would call the highest
nature. mine. But I'm happy. It's a
good thing to be happy, isn't it?'